keep up

1. Lit. to hold someone upright. Try to keep him up until I can get his bed made. Keep her up for a few minutes longer.

2. Fig. to prevent someone from going to bed or going to sleep. I'm sorry, was my trumpet keeping you up? The noise kept us up.

1. Lit. to hold or prop something up. Keep your side of the trunk up. Don't let it sag. Keep up your side of the trunk.

2. Fig. to continue doing something. I love your singing. Don't stop. Keep it up. Please keep up your singing.

3. Fig. to maintain something in good order. I'm glad you keep the exterior of your house up. You keep up your house nicely.

1. Lit. to advance at the same rate as someone or something; to be just as productive as someone or something. Don't work so fast. I can't keep up with you. You're running so fast that I cannot keep up with you. I don't make enough money to keep up with your spending.

2. Fig. to pay attention to the news about someone or something. I don't see the Smiths a lot since they moved, but I keep up with them by phone. I try to keep up with current events.

1. to stay level or equal with someone or something I'm too old or too tired and I just can't keep up. The little boy tried very hard to keep up with his older brother's accomplishments.

2. to move as quickly as someone else I have short legs, and I almost had to run to keep up.

1. Also, keep up with. Proceed at the same pace, continue alongside another, as in We try to keep up with the times. [First half of 1600s] This usage, also put as keep pace, appears in the phrase keeping up with the Joneses, which was coined in 1913 by cartoonist Arthur R. Momand for the title of a series in the New York Globe. It means "trying to match the lifestyle of one's more affluent neighbors or acquaintances." For example, Their buying a new van is just another attempt to keep up with the Joneses.

2. Support, sustain, as in They're trying to keep up their spirits while they wait for news of the crash. [Late 1600s] Also see keep one's chin up.

3. Maintain in good condition, as in Joan really kept up the property. [Mid-1500s] This usage also appears in the idiom keep up appearances, meaning "to maintain a good front, make things look good even if they're not," as in She was devastated by his bad prognosis but is trying hard to keep up appearances for their children . [Mid-1700s]

4. Persevere, carry on, prolong, as in Keep up the good work, or How long will this noise keep up? [Early 1500s] Also see keep it up.

5. Also, keep up with; keep up on. Stay in touch, remain informed. For example, Ann and I haven't seen each other since college, but we keep up through our annual Christmas letters , or We subscribe to three papers so as to keep up on current events. [c. 1900]

6. keep someone up. Cause someone to remain out of bed, as in He's keeping up the children beyond their bedtime. [Mid-1700s]